It was only meant to be a one-time, one-night solution to ONE problem. Okay, that's a lie. There are two problems: #1) I'm broke. Through no fault of my own, other than I fell down a rabbit hole so deep, I'm now buried in my sister's debt—with my name, Nikki St. Claire, stamped across it. #2) I honestly need a reprieve from my overly mundane, personal life. So when I stumble upon a highly exclusive and extremely secretive auction, I'm both intrigued and potentially saved, given I've left no "box" of what I'll do unchecked on the interview questionnaire, which exponentially increases the reserve that's set on me. Only thing is… The man who buys me turns out to be Jameson Richards. A drool-worthy billionaire bachelor. Also… My boss. How we got this tangled up in each other is a story unto itself. What we do once I accept his one-night contract is a tale riddled with lust and love.
View MoreIndicate the sexual activities you consent to participate in (check all that apply).
Oh. My. God.
I’m actually doing this.
I stare at the questionnaire on my cell phone, thinking there’s no way in hell I can do this!
Then I quickly remind myself… There’s no way in hell I can avoid doing this!
I have the insinuated you owe us money and we’ll break kneecaps to ensure we’re paid evidence burned into my brain to back this up, in the form of a typed note that more blatantly declares: “You have until Christmas Day, 9 pm.”
That’s it. That’s all. No exceptions and no negotiations. No phone number for me to beg and plead for additional time. ‘Cause five days isn’t going to cut it for me. Not when it comes to the amount of cash I’m required to hand over to save said kneecaps. And they’re not just mine…
A part of me wants to scream. A part of me wants to strangle my older sister Ria for… Well. For a lot of things, in addition to this hellacious debt she’s incurred, for which I’ve dutifully assumed responsibility.
And then there’s this teeny, tiny, absurdly naughty part of me that forces me to shift my mental attention from the horror note that is a ticking time bomb, back to the questionnaire that’s staring me in the face.
This is no arbitrary sex questionnaire. This is the crucial final phase of the interview process for the Kinky Kris Kringle Christmas Auction. A highly exclusive, private, invitation-only affair I accidentally stumbled upon while inadvertently ripping open a “Personal and Confidential” envelope on my boss’s desk.
I’d been too wrapped up in thoughts of Ria’s tearful confession of getting in over her head with a loan shark—for her boyfriend’s sake, god-fucking-damn it—to concentrate on the mail I was sorting through for Jameson Richards, my incredibly gorgeous, billionaire boss.
Honestly, it was the first time in the four years I’d worked for The Richards Corp. that anything other than him had distracted me. In this particular instance, the derailment had come from Ria’s confession and my subsequent, admittedly idiotic assertion that I’d take care of everything for her, just as Mom always did for her sister. Even after my aunt’s car “mysteriously” blew up in the deserted parking lot of her diner job.
Jesus.
I really wasn’t into history repeating itself. Or for it to be more destructive, given Aunt Lindy had, thankfully, been inside the restaurant during the explosion and no one else had been in the near vicinity, since it was after-hours, and she was one of the last two employees to lock up and leave.
As soon as Ria had told me she was in trouble, I’d thought of how rocked to the core Aunt Lindy—and my mom—had been that night. And for sometime thereafter.
I’d been sixteen that year and the terror had stuck with me as well. Thus, I’d immediately taken matters into my own hands with Ria, hoping like hell to nip this all in the bud. I had the better-paying job, after all. With a retirement plan and medical insurance and… Whatever.
None of that matters, because my savings account is only padded so much. And Ria’s ex owes infinitely more. Meaning “the bud” has fully bloomed. And I’m fully fucked.
Especially considering the ex has been exonerated by way of Ria taking over the financial burden. Which now falls on the shoulders of yours truly, because I’ve stepped in.
I recognize the sucker I am.
But currently… There’s a bit more to this story.
I tap the pad of my index finger against my chin as I peruse the list of what I will and what I won’t do for cold, hard cash.
The incentive here is two-fold. The first being that the less inhibited I am (or, at least appear to be), the higher the reserve will be set on me and the more money I’ll earn. The more open I am to anything and everything which someone purchasing me for the evening might be into, the greater my chances are that the bid will stretch into the hefty six-figure range.
For one night.
I can clear Ria and myself with this one depraved evening. I might even have a few bucks left over to spend at a day spa, thoroughly cleansing my body, mind and spirit.
The contradictory portion of this endeavor is that I just might get an erotic thrill out of dirtying up my body, mind and spirit.
From what I’ve gleaned from a deep dive on the Internet—which, considering the risqué content, I’m guessing led me to a shadowy corner of the dark web—this particular holiday auction is only for the top one percent. The filthy rich who like decadent indulgences the Average Joe can’t afford.
This is not the same as a tawdry sex club or a sticky-surfaced strip joint, or even on-par with hiring a call girl. This is a very formal, extravagant venue, entailing a tedious selection process on the front end—via the extensive physical exams and assessments I’ve been through—as well as on the back end, where my meticulous vetting will lead to *hopefully* a bidding war amongst the wealthy and affluent gentlemen seeking the kind of lascivious fulfillment that is apparently not offered by their high-society girlfriends… Or their wives.
While I don’t condone anyone stepping out on their spouse, I can’t get caught up in that mortal coil. I don’t know for sure that will be the situation with whomever “wins” me, nor can I allow myself to find any sort of ethical issue with what I’m doing—or what they’re doing. Mine and my sister’s lives hang in the balance.
And… Of all the ways to save us, I have to say, this is the classiest.
Okay, that’s downright weird. And wrong on so many levels.
Yet also absolutely true.
So… The index finger that is drumming out a contemplative rhythm on my chin now taps every box on the exhaustive list on the tablet.
Every single fucking box.
I’m leaving nothing off the table here. I must collect every dollar I can. If that means subjecting myself to bondage, spanking, blowjobs and multiple partners (oh, Christ, multiple partners!), so be it.
I hit the Submit button, finding all the irony in that action.
~Nikki~I gasp.What the hell?I glare at Jameson. He stares back. Quite nonchalantly. And yet… pointedly.I shove my chair back as my brain practically explodes.“I’m sorry—what the fuck did you just say?”He shrugs and lets out a breath. “I mean, you took a solid stance, Nikki. Presented an intelligent and reasonable argument for us to be together. One I really have difficulty refuting.”“Difficulty refuting?!” I’m in an absolute uproar. Because this conversation is pure bonkers.I sink into my beautifully upholstered chair and sip my latte. Try to breathe.Jameson shoots me a contrite look and says, “Try the cornetto. It’s like a croissant.”He pushes a small, silver-domed plate toward me. “Promise you’ll like it.”I need the distraction from the crazy situation we’ve found ourselves in and I yank off the dome—only to stare at something that is decidedly not a cornetto.Rather…It’s a small box with Cartier stamped on it.My eyes bulge.Jameson chuckles. “Don’t act so surprised.”
It’s a disconcerting thought, I’m not gonna lie. I must tamp down my feelings and any sort of wild-haired ideas developing around the periphery of finding a happily ever after with Jameson Richards.Of course, I’ll experience a form of the HEA—via financial independence and a big, bright future that I will have control over sculpting.I just won’t land Prince Charming. That is a true statement, an indisputable fact that I absolutely have to accept.In addition, I have to acknowledge that there is satisfaction in providing him with something he wants, regardless of how it steals away from me a core HEA element. I can give him a child. That is my superpower.Okay, it’s not my only one. (And it actually hasn’t been proven yet, right?)My other strengths are that I’m growing professionally by leaps and bounds, on a daily basis. Having this closely knit relationship with Jameson, being mentored by him and observing him in every business aspect has offered me invaluable insight. To the p
~ Nikki ~ I love that Jameson wears one of his new ties around his neck as he struts into the bedroom (otherwise, completely naked).I laugh softly.While every fiber of my being ignites.“Had a feeling those were designed specifically for you,” I casually comment before sipping from a crystal-cut tumbler that contains a high-end Disaronno that is rife with an almond flavoring and a warm-and-fuzzy tinge that permeates my insides.He chuckles and says, “You’re not supposed to be the gift-giver.”I’m propped against a mound of pillows, so I’m sitting upright. I’m sans apparel, too, since I stripped off the nightgown while he was in the shower. Might as well cut right to the chase.I lift my chin and counter with, “Says who, exactly?”“Uhh… Me.” He stretches out on the bed and shoots a mischievous look my way.“Hmm,” I merely murmur. And take another sip.My drinking days are numbered, once I sign our contract, so I’m enjoying the last vestiges of this mellow nightcap.Admittedly, thoug
~Jameson~I’m trapped in yet another quandary related to Nikki St. Claire. She is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the perfect woman to accompany me to any business meeting and every gala. She softens my sharp edges when I’m engaged in more personal conversations, and brilliantly substantiates all of my points during professional discussions. She’s elegant, refined and savvy.Also… breathtakingly beautiful.Of course, I’m not the only one to recognize these qualities. She captivates everyone she interacts with.A pro and a con at the exact same time because, while I’m extremely proud of her, I am conversely agitated that she garners so much attention and has other executives cracking jokes about stealing her away from me that aren’t actually jokes. I’m not a fucking idiot. I know a prime commodity when I see one, and Nikki is the real deal. A significant asset is so many ways.It makes me damn glad that I insisted she accompany me on this trip. Not that I condone or are happy with the
~ Nikki ~I think of the movie Pretty Woman and immediately ask, “This is a loaner, right?”He gives me a mock-glare in the reflection of the mirror that is so sexily sardonic, I melt a little.And press my lips together.My heart rate is abnormal every moment I’m with this man, but presently… it’s ridiculously erratic.“Jameson—”“It’s not a bribe, Nik,” he’s quick to interject. “Not meant for any other reason than that I want you to have it. This necklace caught my eye, I thought of you… and… I knew you’d sparkle just a little brighter wearing it.”My lids flutter closed for a moment. Then snap open, my gaze connecting with his once more.“A little brighter? For the love of God…” I’m breathy and flabbergasted and having trouble thinking straight. But somehow manage to continue. “These diamonds put a crystal-clear, nighttime sky in the mountains to shame. Stars don’t shine this bright, Jameson.”“I got your analogy the first time,” he says with a chuckle and a wink—both of which near
~ Nikki ~Jameson places a black leather portfolio on the mahogany table, next to my linen breakfast setting. Then he rounds the table and takes a plush chair across from me.“What’s this?” I ask, in between sips of cappuccino.“CVs and professional accolades of a dozen of the best attorneys in New York City, none of whom are on my payroll; though I will foot the bill for you to meet with the one you choose and carefully review the contract, line by line, so that you are well-educated as to the arrangement we’re potentially entering into.”My brow quirks. “Potentially?” I set aside my delicate cup and eye him, curiously.“You’ve verbally consented, but you haven’t signed anything. You may elect not to sign. That is up to you, Nikki. I won’t attempt to sway you either way. You have all the power in this scenario and, at the end of the day, whatever options you do or don’t pursue are entirely up to you. With one caveat.”Now, I smirk. “Of course. What is it?”“The child will be mine. He
Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.
Comments